Wireless Skin Surface Potential Sensing System and Method

Abstract

A sensing apparatus and method allows a patient to control an object by asserting a motor unit action potential. An electromyogram sensor is configured to be placed at a selected location on the patient and to sense a motor unit action potential from the patient. The electromyogram sensor is also configured to generate an EMG signal representative of the motor unit action potential. A personal area network transmitting device that is responsive to the EMG signal is configured to generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the EMG signal. A personal area network receiving device is configured to receive the wireless signal and to convert the wireless signal into an electrical signal. A processor is configured to receive the electrical signal and to generate at least one control signal that has a value corresponding to a state of the electrical signal.

1 . A sensing apparatus for allowing a patient to control an object by asserting a motor unit action potential, comprising:
 a. an electromyogram sensor configured to be placed at a selected location on the patient and to sense a motor unit action potential from the patient, the electromyogram sensor also configured to generate an EMG signal representative of the motor unit action potential;   b. a personal area network transmitting device, responsive to the EMG signal, that is configured to generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the EMG signal;   c. a personal area network receiving device that is configured to receive the wireless signal and to convert the wireless signal into an electrical signal; and   d. a processor that is configured to receive the electrical signal and to generate at least one control signal that has a value corresponding to a state of the electrical signal.   
     
     
         2 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface unit, coupled to the processor, that is configured to control an external device based on a current state of the control signal. 
     
     
         3 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the personal area network transmitting device comprises a Bluetooth® transmitter. 
     
     
         4 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an amplifier that is configured to receive the EMG signal from the electromyogram sensor, amplify the EMG signal so as to generate an amplified signal and then transmit the amplified signal to the personal area network transmitting device. 
     
     
         5 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the amplified signal is coupled to a microphone input of the personal area network transmitting device. 
     
     
         6 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the personal area network receiving device comprises a Bluetooth® receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The sensing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the Bluetooth® receiver comprises a Bluetooth®-enabled cellular telephone. 
     
     
         8 . A sensing apparatus for allowing a patient to generate a signal by asserting a motor unit action potential, comprising:
 a. an electromyogram sensor configured to be placed at a selected location on the patient and to sense a motor unit action potential from the patient, the electromyogram sensor also configured to generate an EMG signal representative of the motor unit action potential; and   b. a personal area network transmitting device, responsive to the EMG signal, that is configured to generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the EMG signal.   
     
     
         9 . A system for transmitting a skin surface potential signals via a wireless voice channel, comprising:
 a. a skin surface potential sensor that generates a first signal representative of a skin surface potential;   b. a signal conditioning circuit, responsive to the first signal, that generates a modulated signal representative of the first signal, wherein the modulated signal has a carrier frequency within a bandwidth of the voice channel;   c. a wireless personal area network transmitter, responsive to the modulated signal, that transmits a wireless signal that includes a signal component corresponding to the modulated signal;   d. a wireless personal area network receiver that receives the wireless signal and that generates an electronic signal representative thereof;   e. a demodulation circuit that generates a demodulated signal representative of the electronic signal; and   f. a sound card configured to reconstruct the skin surface potential based on the demodulated signal.   
     
     
         10 . A method of transmitting control inputs to a device, comprising the actions of:
 a. sensing an electromyogram action potential with an electromyogram sensor, thereby generating an EMG signal;   b. transmitting the EMG signal to a wireless receiver with a wireless personal area network transmitting device;   c. receiving the EMG signal with a personal area network receiving device;   d. processing the EMG signal so as to generate a control signal; and   e. controlling a device based on a state of the control signal.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting action comprises the action of employing a Bluetooth® transmitter to transmit the EMG signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the EMG signal is coupled to a microphone input of the transmitter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving action comprises the action of employing a Bluetooth® receiver to receive the EMG signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the action of amplifying the EMG signal before the transmitting step. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the action of transmitting the EMG signal to a remote station via a wireless telecommunications network. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling action comprises the action of controlling a computer user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling action comprises the action of controlling a lamp. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling action comprises the action of controlling a fan. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling action comprises the action of controlling an alarm.